L-arginina na ração para fêmeas suínas no terço final da gestação

Abstract

The genetic improvement achieved in sows in the last decades, allowed the increase of the number of total births, today the hyperprolificity is a reality in the productive systems. However, accompanied by improvements in reproductive performance, there has been an increase in the incidence of low-weight piglets, as well as increased weight variability in litters. This condition may lead to increased pre and post-natal mortality and system damage. Nutritional strategies during the gestation period can minimize these negative effects. The use of functional amino acids can optimize the production of sows and among these amino acids stands out the L-Arginine. Arginine is involved in several important metabolic routes, for example, it serves as a substrate for the synthesis of protein, creatine, nitric oxide, polyamines, citrulline, agmatine, ornithine, proline and glutamate. It also helps to stimulate the secretion of some hormones like insulin, prolactin and growth hormone. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementing L-arginine on sows diets, from 85 to 115 days of gestation, on the reproductive performance, performance of piglets at birth, physiological and survival parameters of piglets a t the first 24 hours of life. Twenty pluriparous sows of two to seven parity were used. The experimental design was completely randomized, consisting of two treatments: feed without supplementation of L-Arginine HCl and feed with 1% supplementation of L-Arginine HCl top-dressed, based on the amount of feed supplied. L-arginine supplementation did not influence the number of piglets born per litter, piglet weight and litter weight at birth. Female body composition and duration of calving were not influenced by treatments. The percentage of piglets weighing less than 0.8 kg at birth (P<0,05) and at 24 h was lower in L-arginine supplemented sows, and a decrease in piglet weight variability was observed at 24 h. The rectal temperature of the piglets at birth was positively influenced by the sow supplementation. Supplementation of the sows gestation feed with L-arginine decreases the percentage of low-weight piglets, positively influences the vigor of piglets at birth and decreased the variability of litter at 24 hours post-birth.